Free People - Trend - Prints & Patterns

About the brand...

Back in the 1970's, a young man named Dick Hayne planted a seed in the maze of streets and trees that make up West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He opened a store and called it Free People. Free People nurtured the young people who lived there and shopped there, who looked for a little of their own freedom in the clothes they wore.

As Dick's store grew from one to two, the name was changed from Free People to Urban Outfitters. In time, his wife Meg came on to tend Urban's private label division, which supported product exclusive to Urban Outfitters. Demand was almost immediate and to meet this overwhelming need, she and Dick decided to create a wholesale line. It was very well-received, so much so that Dick separated the businesses. For a while, the wholesale line took on many personalities: Bulldog, Ecote, Cooperative, Anthropologie, and then in 1984 a new life was breathed into the name Free People. Free People shed its junior image and evolved into a more mature, contemporary brand. This allowed twenty-something women to appreciate the line of clothing that catered to their intelligence, creativity and individuality, while keeping with its great quality and affordability. In 2001, the team realized that it was really Free People that invoked some of their favorite images, those of femininity, courage, and spirit.

They wanted to reach a 26-year-old girl, smart, creative, confident and comfortable in all aspects of her being, free and adventurous, sweet to tough to tomboy to romantic. A girl who likes to keep busy and push life to its limits, with traveling and hanging out and everything in between. Who loves Donovan as much as she loves The Dears, and can't resist petting any dog that passes her by on the street.Today Free People draws, designs, sews and buys for her, offering her countless options within their own Free People collection, so that even if she takes her best pal shopping, they won't come out looking at all alike. And if she wants her colors and patterns all mixed up, that's even better, picking through their sweaters, knits and skirts.

Free People has three wholesale showrooms - in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The sales team is in love with the Free People customer, and constantly searches for accounts who believe in their aesthetic and want them to be part of their lives. Today the line sells in over 1000 specialty stores worldwide.